Explanation:
The dark spots in the above picture are not photographic defects but an
unusual type of interstellar cloud known as a Bok globule. Bok globules,
named after astronomer Bart Bok who studied them extensively, are small
dark clouds made of
gas and
dust that are typically condensing
to form a star or
stars.
These Bok globules are found in front of a glowing
H II
region known as IC 2499.